Forgiveness will save your heart
by My painful Symphony
Summary: Sakura got over Sasuke and found love with neji but when her squad is killed, including neji she falls into misery. Now sasuke is back after a couple years and the love she felt for him is back. Will sakura let her guilt kill her? shitty summary!Good fic


**READ AND REVIEW, IT DON'T TAKE THAT LONG! AND I WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS ONE!! I WANT FEEDBACK, GRRRRR, HEHEHEHHE JK, BUT SERIOUSLY REVIEW ;)**

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_She couldn't see anything!…oh god where were they?!_

she ran, her blood pounding in her head like the beat of a drum.

She could hear her labored breathing over the roar that filled her ears, drowning out all other noise, making her feel completely isolated.

Pain sent shock waves through her limbs, her legs ached from strain and her lungs burned from the incessant running.

But she refused to stop!

Screams of her team echoed around her and she scrambled faster, panic nipping at her heels.

_Come on…almost there!_

It felt as if the hounds of hell where howling at her back, desperately trying to dig their fangs into her legs so stop her from reaching the people she loved.

_Just one more ste-…_

The carnage before her stopped her in her tracks and her heart skipped before freezing in her chest.

She dimly realized that the roaring in her head had been fire as she numbly stared the inflamed woods around the clearing.

Broken and singed weapons littered the area around the corpses of her friends. Craters littered the sodden ground and trees lay, collapsed from the impact of fighting bodies.

Enemy ninja scattered the ground as well, and when she came close enough to see their headbands bile rose in the back of her throat.

_They had known we were coming…._

Eyes blank with disbelief scanned the surrounding area and her fingernails dug so hard into her hands that blood dripped onto the already red splotched earth.

With the burning foliage it would have been impossible for them to escape…they had been _trapped._

It was apparent that an ambush had occurred and had ended…_hideously_.

She was startled out of her shock when a hand weakly grabbed her leg.

Fighting the reflex to kill whatever had grabbed her, she turned around and couldn't believe what was before her.

Looking down at what had touched her skin, she gasped in horror and dropped to her knees next to her dying comrade….her lover.

She pushed the fallen enemy shinobi off his body that had blocked her view of him sooner, ran her hands desperately over his torso, though she knew it was to late to save him.

A gaping hole was in the middle of his stomach and she could see his organs. Blood pooled beneath him on the ground in an increasing circle of red.

His gasping breaths, spurted blood everywhere every time he inhaled and exhaled, dousing her legs and waist in the metallic liquid.

_There was no way he would survive._

She sat down next to him, her knees making a sick slapping sound as they touched the life force draining from him.

The only choice she knew she had left was to wait for the end with him, _but by god she would not let him die without her with him!_

His white eyes began to lose their already weak light as she cradled his head in her lap, fighting the urge to scream.

_To rage. _

_To weep._

A smile touched his bloodied lips as he cupped her face with one hand, wiping away her tears. She bit through her lip and shakily smiled at him, she knew the last thing he saw wouldn't want her to be mourning for him.

"You came", he whispered, "…I _knew_ you…wouldn't…let me…die here…_alone_". "Yes…I-I came…", she choked out and leaned down to kiss him softly.

"Hey", he whispered and coughed, "D-don't cry _-gasp-…_You cant cry…in m-my arms…re-remember?".

Her head nodded frantically and a broken 'yes' passed her lips as she did as he asked and didn't cry…not yet.

His brown head nodded weakly and he smiled a little more, seeming genuinely happy as he laid there in her arms dying.

"You know you saved me r-right?".

Her voice cracked as she spoke and the man in her arms shook his head, "No…_You _saved _me….I-I love you -cough-"._

His hand shook before going still and falling away from her cheek to land next to his side.

It seemed to happen in slow motion, the 'thud' of his body making contact with the muddy earth resonated over and over in her head.

"no, no, no, _no_…", she whimpered, _shaking_ him, _screaming_ at him, _begging _him to wake up.

Her fists hit his shoulder weakly as she laid her head on his still chest and wept.

His skin was still warm and she clung to him as her heart broke into a million pieces. Her fingers tangled in his long hair to bring his face closer so she could cradle him to her chest.

Noises that sounded more animal than human escaped from her lips while she wept and died inside for the one man who had loved her.

Emerald eyes lit upon the chaos that surrounded her and cut back to the man before her.

_Failure…you failed again._

She sat, holding his hand to her heart and staring at the sight of the blood soaked bodies of her team…her friends.

The corpses of the man and woman on the ground made her eyes sting more. _They had meant to get married_, she thought, _It wasn't fair that they would never get the chance to say 'I do' or hold a baby of their own._

The couples hands were laced together and it was obvious the man had died trying to protect the smaller woman, only to fail when the weapon, a katana, pierced through his back and into her own. His arms were tightly wrapped around her waist and she could see the tracks of dried tears on both their faces.

Her jaw clenched as her heart imploded inside her chest once again.

_Failure…_

Numbness stole over her body. Her heart slowed…everything seemed to slow to a complete stop. It seemed as if she stepped out of her body and was looking at the wreckage from high above the tall trees. But when reality hit her she came back to her body with a slam that nearly toppled her over.

_They're dead…and its all your fault._

She drew in a breath harshly only to release it in high pitched screams that echoed through the surrounding woods, scaring away all the creatures. But she didn't care, there was only her and the realization that she had once again let down the people she loved and they had died for it.

Her emerald eyes reflected the fire that she stared into lifelessly, holding the corpse of the man she loved close to her as the words she had heard her entire life repeated like a mantra over and over in her head.

_You're weak…_

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1 ½ years later

Sakura knotted the white bandage on the little boys arm and patted his head lovingly, ""Be careful next time you play 'Ninja'", she admonished.

Hazel eyes looked at her adoringly and a brown head bobbed up and down frantically.

"Yes Miss Sakura", she squeezed his shoulder in approval and smiled. "Now go play Hori and leave the _real_ kunai's at home".

Giggling said boy scampered off, waving and smiling before disappearing around the corner to tell his friends about how pretty Miss Sakura looked that day.

_And _he had a new scar to show off.

All the children loved the pink haired medic that often took care of their scrapes and bruises. while listening to the adventures as to how they came about their injuries ranging from slipping on a prank gone wrong to banging their head into a cabinet while playing 'dead man' or 'ninja'.\

_My children, _she thought humorously, _are going to be terrors ^.^., _because in her eyes they were in fact her 'children' even if they had parents. She often baby sat when she was free from the hospital and mission, and took care of them when they were sick.

Sakura sighed while stripping off her gloves and running her hands through her hair.

_She was so tire-_

Shizune's head popped around the door and she beamed at her, "Tsunade wishes to see you Sakura-chan" and then she was gone.

_Probably to see Genma, _She thought with a snort at the gleam that had been in the woman's eyes.

Sakura headed to her mentors office, a mental image of little babies running around, senbons in their mouths and piglets in their arms.

_Yep definitely to see Genma._

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A sake bottle smashed right next to Sakura's ear when she opened the door.

She didn't even flinch.

"Those damned old coots!", Tsunade yelled and hit the wall behind her, creating a sizable hole and alarming citizens below.

"I take it the council is at it again", she said mildly.

Blonde pigtails flew as she turned, "Yes!", she yelled, " those cocky old farts are trying to make it so Naruto is incapable of becoming my successor!".

Sakura felt her own anger stir to life but pushed it down, Konoha wasn't big enough for two crater creating Kunoichi to be pissed off.

_Much less one._

With that in mind Sakura went about calming her Shishiou.

'Just tell them to shove it, _you_ are the Hokage…not _them_", apparently that worked because the busty woman dropped into her chair with a sigh.

_The winds out of her sails, _she thought with a hidden chuckle.

"Be that as it may, those old biddies are going to get a chakra charged foot in their asses if they don't shut the hell up!", Tsunade groused.

She made a grab for her Sake bottle and when she realized it was shattered on the floor, her face fell and she continued to grumble.

Sakura started to grin but then she saw the clock behind Tsunade's desk.

_3:00._

'I've got to go Shishiou", she muttered and disappeared from the room.

Tsunade looked up and saw the empty space where her student had stood, then at the clock.

Her eyes misted and a lump formed in her throat.

She dropped her head into her hands and fought the urge to cry, " Its been almost two years sakura…when will you let go?".

Her hands sought out the picture of her own lost love and cradled it in her hands. A finger reached out and traced along the border of the picture and along his face.

"I miss you Dan", Tsunade whispered to the empty room and gave into the urge, tears falling on the picture of the man that _she _had failed so long ago.

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Sakura knelt before the Memorial stone and placed three different flowers on the ground before it.

A tulip for Akiko, the bubbly red head had become a dear friend with her infectious laughter and obsession with spiced curry. They had become so close that they had gotten matching tattoos on their left bicep, a Celtic knot surrounded by sakura petals and leaves.

A orchid for Jiro, the calm violet eyed man had been Akiko's lover and his relaxed nature had always managed to quiet both woman's explosive tempers. His big burly body had dwarfed both Akiko's and Sakura's 5'6 height and had been completely at odds with his sweet nature.

And a rose…for Neji. The brown-haired white eyed Hyuuga had managed to always get the best of her temper. It was how they had eventually ended up together.

A sad smile flitted across her face as she remembered their first kiss.

**Flashback:**

"_You don't always have to be so cold blooded, you know?!", Sakura screamed at him when he got on his high horse about destiny._

_He had looked at her with such heat in his eyes, that she nearly swallowed her tongue, especially when he stalked closer to her._

"_Cold blooded huh?", he breathed against her ear aggressively, sensually._

_Neji's tongue reached out to flick her ear and she gasped. _

"_You have no idea how much control it takes for me not to drag you away from some stupid date you've had and kill them"._

"_because they could touch you when I couldn't. How hard it was for me not to take you when I'd find you after training, all sweaty and sexy. Not kissing you when you cried, not stripping you naked when you went dancing with Ino and Hinata, that dress you would wear…", his breath shuddered out, leaving the rest unsaid but completely understood._

"_Tell me Sakura is staying awake, fantasying, dreaming about somebody 'Cold blooded'?"._

_Before she could respond he crushed his mouth to hers, backing her into the wall so he could press against her._

_They hadn't left that room for a long time and when they did they were never far apart from each other._

**Flashback end:**

_He had held her the entire time, his love for her that he had hidden for so long finally coming to the surface._

Sakura fought a losing battle against the tears that pricked the corners of her eyes as she gasped and clutched her chest in pain.

_She missed them, God she missed them so much!_

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She sat there for another hour until a familiar chakra signature made itself known to her.

Sakura pushed to her feet and turned to face her old sensei.

No words were exchanged as the two grief stricken shinobi looked each other in the eye.

It was there way, no verbal communication, just acknowledgment of the others feelings. Pain, anger…guilt.

She began to walk past him but as she did she sent a surge of comforting chakra through a hand on his shoulder.

When Sakura moved to let go, his own chakra passed into her body.

A smile touched her lips as she left the clearing.

_She wasn't alone._

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1 week later

Sakura had just dropped off her white lab coat in her office and was headed out the hospital doors when the messenger ninja 'poofed' in front of her.

She dropped to a crouch in reflex and already had a kunai out before she realized what was happening.

Rising to her feet and trying to act casual while she fought a blush, Her hand scratched the back off her head and she laughed embarrassedly as the masked man titled his head to the side and chuckled.

"Still as sharp as ever eh Sakura?", the mans deep voice made her smile and she took the scroll in his held out hand.

'Yes Kiba…one never knows who might be at the other end of a transportation jutsu", she stated primly before bursting into laughter at his revealed face.

His mouth was twisted in a thoughtful pose, eyebrow cocked and hand rubbing chin comically.

"I suppose…", Kiba murmured before he laughed and took off.

Sakura yelled at his back as he jogged down the street, "You better not come back full of holes…_again!"._

His wave and assurance that he would be fine did little to soothe her, Kiba was known for his reckless tactics that often left him injured so he could protect his teammates.

When she looked down at the seal an frown of contemplation furrowed her brow.

_What could Tsunade want that she would send a messenger?_

Breaking the seal, she fought back the frisson of worry.

_**Get to my office ASAP, Naruto has returned from his mission…it was successful.**_

_**Tsunade, Lady Hokage.**_

Dread washed over Sakura in harsh waves, _if he had completed his mission then that meant…__**he **__was back._

Her stomach began to churn, as she walked towards the Hokage tower.

Her feet moved at a slow gait, _she needed time to prepare herself._

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"YEAH! that's right Baa-chan I kicked serious ass when I brought the teme back, Believe it!", sakura couldn't stop the grin that split her face when she heard her brothers voice through the thick wood door.

She twisted the handle and pushed the door open, ignoring the nerves that were jumping in her stomach.

They quieted when she saw the blur of orange and black that nearly tackled her when Naruto saw her enter the room.

'SAKURA-CHAN!", he lifted her and spun her around causing her to laugh and clutch his shoulders.

When he wound down and set her on her feet they were both panting and leaning on each other for support while they struggled not to laugh.

After straightening and punching Naruto in the shoulder, she turned towards Tsunade and her face immediately fell into a stoic mask.

"What is it you request of me Shishiou?", Sakura spoke in the cold voice that scared criminals in the interrogation unit.

The voice of a ruthless shinobi, an Anbu black op.

Panic beat butterfly wings in her stomach, _please don't say it!_

The blonde looked at her steadily and replied, "You are to examine team Hebi for any internal injuries and foreign diseases they may have acquired since they have no team medic".

_Damn it all to hell! __**Calm down Sakura, they're watching.**_

Sakura stiffened slightly but kept her cool, "As you wish..", and turned away to leave the room.

She nodded at Naruto when he asked for ramen later that day, a small smile curved her lips before she locked eyes with onyx eyes.

Her exotically beautiful features fell into a blank expression that reminded the man who was on the receiving end of the look of a cold killer…a shinobi.

Something he thought she would never accomplish, something he believed she was too weak to handle.

Sakura's eyes turned his team. She looked through all of them, but her eyes did pause briefly on Suigestu.

_Had she seen him before?_

Swirling sharingan in her peripheral vision nearly made sakura growl, _he would dare to use his Kekkia Genkia on her?!_

Sakura felt the burning in her body and knew she had to get out of their before she revealed to much of herself.

"Be at the hospital before three today or your appointments will be void and someone else will have to deal with you", Sakura rasped and then she was gone.

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Sasuke stared in shock after the girl he was sure would hug him and cry when she saw him. Weep and beg for him to love her, like when they were Genin….no such luck.

She was _gorgeous, _he thought incredulously, not just gorgeous but exotic.

The wide forehead and cherub face had disappeared to be replaced by a thing of unmistakable beauty.

Her eyes were more almond shaped and her face had thinned, showing high cheek bones. The mouth that had never closed when they were Genin was now plump and her pink hair was to mid back and shimmered in the light with health.

A bolt of lust hit him in the stomach when he examined her body more closely. The curves he detected under her red strap shirt and black ninja pants were luscious and Sasuke couldn't help but stare, _subtly _of course.

After all he still was an Uchiha.

He had been yanked from his sexual musings when she had spoken and then he had to push back the urge to shiver.

Her voice was husky, but so damn _cold_ that it set the hairs on the back of his neck on end.

_She was as cold as him, _and a part of him was scrambling for answers as to how _Sakura,_ of _all _people could be so…so much like ninja.

But being who he was, Sasuke just stood their silently and listened to Tsunade list off their punishments for betraying Konoha and injuring leaf shinobi on several accounts.

"You will all be placed under probation for a year and be watched by anbu to see if your truly as loyal to Konoha as you claim…", he blocked out her voice and stared out the window, catching a glimpse of pink hair headed to the Hospital.

A spark of curiosity and unexplainable anger lit behind his eyes as he thought of her.

_What had happened to his Sakura?_

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'I still don't get why we have to get checked out by that ugly bimbo?!", Karin screeched next to Sasuke's ear but he ignored her, continuing on towards the medical center.

Juugo replied to Karin's question/_insult, _"What the _hells_ wrong with you, _Ugly? _That chick was _hot_! I cant wait for my _examination_", and he rubbed his hands together maniacally, cackling and making perverted gestures.

Sasuke felt a spurt of jealously and stopped himself before he burned the other mans ass to a crisp.

Suigestu nodded and spoke in his quiet voice, "She is beautiful but she's…_broken"_, when he looked at him, the shark like man refused to respond to his silent question and just walked forward.

Juugo looked after his friend with his mouth slightly opened and eyebrows furrowed. "_Broken, _what are you talking about?"

Silence.

"_Hey!…_Wait! Guys _wait_ for me I _want_ to see the sexy nurse _first_!", and he ran after them.

Karin continued to ramble, 'Sexy my ass did you see that hair?! UGH!", her voice became a background buzz as Sasuke contemplated Suigestu's words.

"Hn", was the only acknowledgement that he had heard them before he too walked faster.

_He didn't want to miss the chance to talk to Sakura alone._

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There are times, Sakura decided, That the _best _thing, the thing you _want _the _most _is absolute solitude.

_And she wanted that right now._

She wanted the world to stop, people to stop…life to stop.

Just for a moment…so she could breath and not fight for once in the two years since she came back .

So she could cry like she used to and not feel weak for it.

But the things that someone wants are usually the things they can _never_ have.

When a nurse, _whose name she could not remember for the life of her_, came to inform her that Team Hebi was their for their checkups, Sakura sighed.

_It never seemed to stop._

'A slow down at least would be nice", she grumbled and yanked on her lab coat before stalking out the door to face what she knew would test her yet again.

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Walking into the examination room, Sakura spoke while looking down at the chart in her hand.

"It appears that your curse seal has deteriorated from your body…probably due to Orochimaru's death and since you were the first to have it. you still contain all previous abilities and strength, you're just able to control them now. Lady Tsunade will be relieved to hear we wont have to detain you in a prison cell…Juugo?".

The look on his face looked like it was crushing relief, both terrible and welcomed.

'Are you alright?", she asked the spiky-haired man quietly and rested her hand on his shoulder.

It seemed she couldn't hate him…not after he had sincerely apologized for the time he had nearly killed her in his rage and he had flirted shamelessly. It had been a long time since she had been complimented by someone who seemed to mean it.

_He may be perverted but it seemed he did have respect for those who deserved it._

Sakura tried not to feel flattered that he deemed her worthy of his respect and friendship.

_Well that's kinda backwards, _she thought humorously.

When his eyes made contact with hers, Sakura angled her head in question.

"Y-yes…Im alright…I'm _free_", he stuttered out causing her to smile.

'Yes you are and you'll be just fine…I promise".

Juugo launched to his feet and punched the air, "I'm free!" and then he swooped her up into a hug that shocked her considering they had just met.

But she patted his back and nodded happily, while he kept punching the air and rambling about all the things he could do without having to worry about going _crazy_ and killing _everything_!

Sakura laughed as he ran out the door still crazed about not being under the control of the cursed seal

His head popped back in for a moment, "Thank you Sakura" and then he was gone.

A small grin touched her lips, "You're welcome".

_Now to Suigestu._

Curious about said man Sakura hurried out of the examination room and down the hallway to the room where he waited.

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What she found in the room where _Suigestu_ was supposed to be she instead found _Sasuke_ there.

_I think I've swallowed curdled milk -.-'_

Scowling, Sakura looked at him in disgust. "Where is Suigestu? He was next for examination", she growled out, _not like she had to be __**nice**__ to him._

Sasuke merely grunted before speaking, "He decided he would prefer to be examined at a later date…he saw the cenotaph and wished to see if his family was on it". (don't know bout Suigestu's family so im makin up as I go)

_Wow I think that's the most he's ever spoken, _she thought sarcastically.

Shaking her head in disappointment_, _Sakura made her way over to the Uchiha.

"Remove your shirt", she commanded. When he arched a brow she rolled her eyes.

"Trust me I have no desire to see you in _any _state of undress, I need to examine your torso", with the way she said it she might as well have added a '_Duh_!' to the end.

He hn'd before doing as she asked. Sakura forced herself to look at him as a medic not as a female and went about checking his body.

Black and blue chakra darkened her hands as she ran her hands over his chest and abdomen.

She didn't see his eyes narrow at the familiar coloring or the probing gaze that tried to catch her eye.

Sakura felt his muscles tense under her hands and almost smirked, _Well isn't this ironic…_

When she saw his curse seal on his neck, her jaw clenched and she had to forcibly calm herself.

Tension weighted heavily around the couple and surprisingly it was Sasuke who broke the silence.

"What happened while I was gone?", more of a demand than a question and Sakura bristled.

'Well", She snapped, "Naruto is Tsunade's successor and is engaged to Hinata. Kakashi is married to Anko and is still a part of _my_ team", she put emphasis on my so he would get that he wasn't a part of it anymore. "The rest of the Rookie Nine are in various states of marriage, engagement or missions.

That's about it since I imagine the great Uchiha doesn't deem anyone else worthy of his time….oh but we do have another new member, Sai, not that you would care", she said scathingly.

Suddenly annoyed with the sleeve of her coat, as it kept slipping over her hand, blocking her chakra. Sakura yanked it off before continuing unwittingly exposing her tattoo.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at what she had said, but when he saw the marking on her arm he was intrigued. Without a thought he grabbed her around the forearm and brought it forward so her could inspect it more closely.

Sakura struggled against his hold, but he held fast as he murmured. "What about you Sakura? What happened to you ?", his breath fanned against her arm, making her shiver lightly.

Furious with her reaction, She yanked her arm out of his hold and glared at him. "I was left on a bench in the cold after confessing my love to a selfish bastard. I was nearly killed on a mission to try to find said bastard because for some misguided reason, I believed Naruto and I could bring _you _home and the rest is none of your fucking business!".

His eyes darkened but she railed on, her bitterness overflowing. "…So don't you come to me _Uchiha_ thinking you can play your little mind games . Come closer so you can push away. I moved on from you a _long _time ago…I found a real love, someone who would hold me and not criticize every time I turned around".

Sakura sneered at his shocked face, "What?! You thought I was going to fall all over you like when we were Genin".

She snorted derisively, " dream on…"

But then her eyes clouded a little.

"You thought all I had on you was a mindless crush, but I wanted to help you. _God I wanted to help you. _I knew what it was like to be alone, but you refused help from anyone, especially me", sheer will kept her voice from cracking.

Sakura straightened her shoulders and sneered at him.

"you thought I couldn't see right through you when we were Genin, _Oh but I did Sasuke_. I saw right down to the fear that you couldn't ever hate your brother".

Sasuke stood up and glowered at her, "I was never afraid".

She scoffed, "Keep telling yourself that, I don't care either way. You never cared about anyone but yourself so why should I ?".

"But I am grateful to you for one thing, you stopped me from making the worst mistake in my life…", Sakura eyed him from head to toe as if examining a rather hideous creature, Sasuke bristled and his muscles expanded as he kept rein of his temper.

He started to come closer, revealing the clock that had previously been blocked by his head and shoulders.

Her heart fluttered in panic, _It was almost 3:00! _

"You have no idea what your talking about _Sakura_", he seethed dangerously close to activating his sharingan. "I fought for everything I've ever had and never once was I afraid that I couldn't hate him".

_Liar._

Sasuke looked into her eyes and saw the panic there, _What the…, _

He grabbed her arms, feeling a wave of _worry, _he thought with slight disgust.'

"Whats wrong Sakura?!", he demanded, angry that she could invoke such emotions from him.

Snapped from some inner reverie, She fought against him, wildly lashing out till he was forced to pin her arms behind her back to keep her still. It brought her closer to his chest and he could feel her heart pounding underneath her breasts.

He stoically refused to allow thoughts of her pressed against him in a different situation affect his body. A _Really hard task…_

" let me go, you _heartless son of a bitch_!" and she pumped chakra into the front half of her body so it burned him.

Sasuke released her with a hiss and moved back.

Sakura's hair swung away from her when she whirled on him and it was then that he saw it.

_No_, he stared in shock, _god no please not her?!_

"I never should have-".

A piercing scream left Sakura's mouth as black markings began to appear across her face, her hair changed to blood red and her eyes turned black.

In the middle of her forehead a diamond appeared.

"No", she grunted out as she dropped to her knees, fighting back the transformation.

Sasuke knelt beside her and tried to touch her, but she lashed out with claw-like fingernails, "Don't touch me!", she growled.

His eyes narrowed angrily, "You need help", he stated heatedly.

A dark chuckle escaped her and she curled her lip in distaste, "And I suppose _you _are the one for the job?", she said sarcastically before coughing.

Blood pooled on the ground from her mouth as the transformation began to recede from her skin and back into the curse mark.

When he tried to help her up she shoved his hand away and stood, albeit shakily.

"When did this happen, you were never in Sound?!", he rasped harshly, the unspoken command was clear.

_Tell me NOW!_

Walking towards the door, Sakura turned and glared at him, "As I said before that is none of your fucking business, _Uchiha."_ and then she was gone, out the door with one last parting shot.

'Tell your _girlfriend _to ask Shizune for assistance and she will get her checkup I have more _important_ things to do".

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The cenotaph was already occupied when she got their, more like stumbled, and it was then that Sakura remembered Sasuke had said that Suigestu had gone their to look for deceased relatives.

Neither spoke a word as they mourned the ones they had lost.

Sakura looked at him out of the corner of her eye and hesitated before speaking "I-I…Your checkup is scheduled for tomorrow, a nurse will assist you".

Suigestu turned to look at her, "Why wont you be there?", he asked quietly.

"I have a mission to take care of", _Where have I seen you?!_

His blue head nodded silently but he didn't look away.

His stare unnerved her a little and she turned her gaze back to the names of her friends.

The clench that never failed gripped her heart and sakura gasped quietly, trying not to draw the mans attention.

She failed, _Big surprise_, she thought bitterly.

"You have no need to hide your pain", his voice was soothing and he stood closer to her, his arm touching hers.

She had felt that touch before! She just _couldn't_ remember where!

Angered that he may have tricked her someway, Sakura whirled away, chakra ready in her fists.

"Where are you from?, I've seen you before but I cant place where!", she nearly screamed in frustration.

_The niggling at the back of her mind was driving her insane!_

His eyes became saddened…guilty.

Suigestu didn't speak for a time, just looked at the stone and then at her, like he had made some grave decision.

"I was the one who found you…that night", she gasped and backed away from him.

"Then why didn't you kill me?, You were serving _Orochimaru_", she hissed.

Sakura glared at the man before her, _if he was the one who had killed them, she would make him suffer a thousand times worse!_

Suigestu seemed to read her mind for he shook his head, "I had nothing to do with the attack. I merely found your body after Orochimaru had marked you".

"And I repeat, Why didn't you kill me?!".

He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, "I…couldn't, you were to _beautiful_ I couldn't harm you, there was just _something _about you.", Sakura stood silent, her eyes wide.

Suigestu reached out a hand to touch her but she backed away and it dropped to his side, "I felt like I'd seen you somewhere. Like I had known you at one time…before Orochimaru…".

His head lowered and his blue hair covered his eyes, "So I took you…and your friends. And I brought you back near your village, so patrolling Anbu would find you…and then I left", his voice sounded strained, like he was holding in as much pain as she was.

It dawned on Sakura with stunning clarity what would have happened to someone who disobeyed Orochimaru.

She shuddered at the thought, remembering the agonizing pain of her encounter with the snake bastard.

He seemed lost in his own thoughts when she approached him, laying a hand on his shoulder timidly.

"Suigestu?", when his eyes connected with hers she felt that same jolt, _she had known him, _"…Thank you".

_I have to confirm this with Tsunade,_ she thought, sickness and joy filling her stomach at the possibility that had registered in her head.

His pale hand laid over hers and he nodded before looking back at the memorial stone.

Squeezing his hand, Sakura disappeared in a whirl of cherry blossoms, leaving the shark-like man with fragmented memories of a pink haired girl and a fiery night filled with screams.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Realizing it was a bit late and she had promised Naruto to have ramen with him, Sakura opted to discuss her troubled thoughts with her Shishiou the next morning.

Though a bit reluctantly.

Arriving at the Ramen stand, Sakura walked in to already see her surrogate brother on his third bowl of ramen

She snorted out a laugh and walked up behind him, "BOO!" and he nearly fell out of his chair.

"OI! Sakura-chan you scared the shit out of me!", he grumbled jokingly , rubbing the bump on his head that he acquired when he hit his head on the table in surprise.

"hhhmmm", was all the response he got though his sister smiled and giggled lightly.

Rolling his eyes, the blonde raised his hand and signaled for Ayame, 'A bowl of beef Ramen for Sakura-Chan!", he said already knowing what she would order since it was her favorite.

They ate in silence for a while and Naruto started to get the feeling that something was bugging his sister.

"Sakura", he said in a unusually quiet voice and she looked up at him in surprise.

She furrowed her brows in question, 'Whats wrong?", he asked calmly, trying not to worsen what ever was bothering the pink haired anbu.

Sakura seemed to think for a moment but decided just to tell him, it would be easier and a lot_ quieter _that way.

"I-its just that…", she took a deep breath, "Ever since he came back its just….I DON'T EVEN KNOW! I just cant stand to be around him".

Naruto's blue eyes softened and he took her clenched fist in his, "Sakura he's our team mate, we swore to bring him back and we did. Its going to take time to get used to the idea of having him with us and not chasing after him", he said with a slight chuckle.

_Oh Naruto, _she thought despairingly, _if only you knew what happened while you were gone…if only I had the courage to tell you._

Forcing a smile that felt like it was splitting her face in half , sakura curled her hand around his, larger more callused one.

"Your right", her voice sounded brittle to her ears but it seemed to convince him.

Naruto's bright smile lit up the table and he nodded happily before continuing eating.

Feeling the anger and despair bubbling up in her chest sakura knew she had to leave before her composure cracked.

She stretched her arms over her head and yawned, "I think _-yawn-_ im going to go home….I have rounds tomorrow at the Hospital".

When he nodded his head and waved Sakura walked out of sight casually only sprinting when she turned the corner, unaware of the crimson eyes that followed her every move.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The training grounds were deserted and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, covered the sound of her gasping breaths as she fought back tears.

But soon the monster inside rose up and her chakra spilt around her in a hot wave of black and blue.

Clenching her eyes shut against the pain of beating back the seal, Sakura raised her hand and smashed it into the ground, sending dirt and debris flying.

An angry sob tore from her throat as images of fire and death

flashed through her mind and Sakura pounded the ground more.

"_I knew you…wouldn't…let me…die here…alone"_

'_Please! Neji wake up!"_

"_Little bosssom, sssscream for me"_

Her hands clutched at her hair, gripping her skull as she fought through the memories that haunted her.

"_Failure_", she whispered to the darkness as she felt the blood from wounds on her hands and arms trickle onto the ground.

Dropping to her knees, Sakura choked on her screams, wrapping her arms around herself to fight off the cold that came from the inside.

Wind blew her hair in her face and the moon cast an eerie shadow across the trees and memorial stone.

She rocked back and forth, helplessly reliving the horror of that night two years ago.

_Snake eyes stared at her manically, "Ssscream little flower"._

_Pain lanced through her neck and her skull felt like it was splitting in half, A blood curdling shriek left her mouth as she fought against his grip on her body._

_After he finished branding her body with his curse mark and leaving scars for his twisted pleasure, Orochimaru shoved her away and she fell on the ground._

_His lips sneered at her and his tongue licked her cheek._

_Sakura shuddered and tried to move to no avail._

"_Looks like the little blossom, failed again to retrieve her poor Sasuke-kun", a mocking laugh filled her ears._

_One tear trailed down her cheek._

_And sakura knew from that day forward she would never again chase after a man who she had once loved._

_A man who had cost her everything._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Feeling herself separate from her body, Sakura struggled her way to the Cenotaph and leaned against it.

Her eyes followed the dark clouds that moved across the midnight sky as she swam in and out of consciousness.

"I'm sorry, _so sorry_", her voice choked as she gazed blindly at the bright stars.

And then came the rage, a blackness from deep in her heart and she let it flow, let it out so she could live one more day and not die of agony.

_That bastard would pay, she would cut out his tongue that he was so proud of and choke him with it but not before she inflicted as much pain as humanly possible._

A twisted bitter smile crossed Sakura's lips, _then again she wasn't really completely human anymore…_

At the dark possibilities that entered her head, Sakura laughed coldly.

A shadow in the trees watched with something akin to guilt and rage in his heart as he watched the girl he used to know slide deeper and deeper into demons that haunted her.

…_.just like he had._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Sakura wasted no time in getting dressed and heading towards the tower. What she had to say could not wait any longer and she ran from the moment she left her house.

Her breath heaved in and out of her lungs as she sprinted, more from excitement and fear than strain.

Sakura burst through the door without knocking and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Sasuke standing in front of Tsunade's desk.

the words "Why was she there?" hit her ears and rage poured through her like molten lava, making her momentarily forget her reason for being there.

"_YOU DARE?!", _she yelled and stormed up to the desk, shoving him away from her mentor.

Tsunade watched the scene unfold, a bit shocked at her pupils behavior as she rounded on the Uchiha who looked mildly annoyed and really pissed off.

"You dare to come interrogate _my_ Shishiou about _my_ life when it is none of _your_ fucking business?! Do you have a _death _wish you _stupid jackass_!", the pinkette's breath was rushing in and out of her lungs at the strain that had been put on her finally started to catch up.

Before she could blink, Sakura was pressed against the wall.

"I dare _Sakura_", he said in his irritating monotone, "Because it is _my _home as well and you're _my_ team mate", then his voice turned mocking.

"You being _weak_ and _uncontrollable _could endanger future missions", he emphasized the word 'weak' as if to remind her of her past failings.

With a hiss of indrawn air, Sakura launched him off of her and into the wall across from where she stood.

the black markings and diamond began to appear on her skin as she stalked forwards but an arm on her chest stopped her.

"Enough Sakura", Tsunade's voice drew her attention away from Sasuke, "Control the seal, we did not train you to waste it on petty arguments".

A snarl built in the back of her throat and Sakura bared sharpened canines at the man across from her, who looked at her with fire in his eyes.

_It didn't look like anger, _A part of her was disgruntled at the thought. Another deeper part that she would never admit to was it…intrigued her (cough excited cough).

Self disgust made her curl her lip and narrow her eyes, _I will not fall for him again!_

Shaking off the restraining appendage, Sakura forced the seal back with a grimace before turning to her teacher.

_As if _, Sasuke thought furiously, _he didn't exist at all._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Tsunade-Sama I request to pull up all files of the Haruno clan", Sakura kept her voice calm, devoid of any emotions that would give her away.

Tsunade laced her fingers together under her chin and looked at her speculatively, "And what my the purpose of this be Sakura? You know all massacred clan documents are sealed".

Sakura stiffened as that little tidbit about her clan slipped past her mentors lips…and just as she predicted Sasuke just _had _to say something.

"What is that supposed to mean? I thought the only clans wiped out in Konoha was the Rumiko and Uchiha?", his clearly agitated voice grated on sakura's nerves and she resisted the urge to punch him through the wall.

_Like he had a right to know! He abandoned Konoha a long time ago, _she seethed silently as the Hokage turned to look at the Uchiha heir.

"it is common knowledge that the Haruno clan was killed by…", she paused and looked at Sakura briefly, "…certain shinobi".

"Why?", he barely kept the tone demanded when talking to ones leader, "Her clan had no remarkable abilities and no Kekkia Genkia to speak of, what would killing them accomplish".

It was then at that last barb that sakura lost her temper, " 'Her' is standing right here!", she yelled and got up in his face.

"The Haruno clan didn't have a Kekkia Genkia like you snotty overbearing Uchiha's but our perfect chakra control and other abilities made us Konoha's greatest undercover ninja! A bigger step than you conceited Sharingan users that flaunted your power…".

A bang resonated through the room and they both started, turning to look at their Hokage whose fist was halfway through her desk.

"ENOUGH!", Tsunade shouted, at her wits end with the two,

" Sakura, you are not some Genin to act with out control as you have these past few days, your control has been shaky enough with your return", Said woman paled and struggled to keep calm.

Tsunade saw this and felt a wave of sadness for her student but as Leader she was forced to control the situation as she saw fit and she had a feeling there was only one way.

"And you", she pointed at Sasuke who had resumed a nonchalant pose, " are on _very _shaky ground, since your return you have obeyed the rules to the letter, _but_ what you did is still fresh in everyone's mind so I would watch your step…", she let her voice trail of as she decided how to handle what was happening before her eyes.

The sannin knew that if she didn't do something, the violence and emotions between the two would escalate and eventually harm innocent people.

_The downside of being strong_, she thought stuck between bitter humor and regret of what she was about to do and how it would affect her surrogate daughter.

With a yell, a ninja appeared in the room, eyes wide in what looked like panic, "Is there something wrong Hokage-Sama?", he stuttered out.

She merely glared, not angry with him per say but he was as a good of an outlet as any. "Yes", she growled, "get me the rest of team Kakashi…NOW!".

With a hasty bow the messenger shinobi vanished to do as he was ordered.

Rubbing her temples furiously, Tsunade turned to look at the two Shinobi still standing before her.

One in silent anger, the other in contained panic.

_I'm sorry Sakura, _She pushed her thoughts into her students head, since telepathy between the two was achieved with her training.

_For what?!, _her students panicked voice came back to her.

_This hatred you have needs to be dealt with._

_NO! im fine, you don't need to do anything! I can handle it!_

Tsunade shook her head sadly, _No sakura…you cant._

_**BOOM!**_

A flurry of movement exploded when the door to her office was knocked down, "WHATS WRONG BAA-CHAN!".

And in charged Naruto, with a more sedated Kakashi, book in hand behind him followed by Sai who had his face in his sketchpad, scribbling fiercely.

Sakura had since squeezed her eyes shut as if the sight of them was unbearable, only opening them to walk to the window so she could ignore everything else but the view of the Leaf Village.

"NARUTO! What did I tell you about yelling?", Naruto scratched his head a look of concentration on his face.

"Ummm…to not to", he said it like he was guessing and Tsunade could only sigh as he smiled brightly at her.

She could never stay angry at him…well usually anyway.

Shaking her head, the Lady Hokage looked at each member in turn before settling on Kakashi.

"The mission I spoke of earlier", he nodded, his eyes narrowed in realization, "…I am assigning it now".

His silver hair swayed as he nodded, his exposed eye hinting at his reluctance, "Hai Hokage-Sama".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto punched the air as Team Kakashi walked out of the gates of the village in the leaves.

"YEAH! We finally got a mission together again!", he shouted happily blissfully unaware of the explosive tension in the air around two particular members of the squad.

Sai, being Sai, opened his mouth, 'Dickless I don't think going all the way to wave country and checking out some small village is really a 'mission'", he said with a blank smile before starting to sketch again.

It took Naruto a minute to realize he'd been insulted.

"H-HEY! I am not dickless!", he yelled pointing a finger at the Sasuke look-alike who was to busy with his drawing to even respond, which only infuriated Naruto more.

After moments of trying to call attention to himself, Naruto resorted to grumbling angrily only _after _Sakura had punched him through a tree.

Kakashi glanced over at his students from the corner of his eye, _they had all grown so much, _he thought with a unexpected twinge in his chest.

Memories of them as Genin and trying to get his mask off made him smirk under said mask.

But it faded as other memories took its place, memories of tears and abandonment.

He rubbed briefly at the ache in his chest as he thought of how Sasuke had run, desperate to kill his brother, and how it had affected everyone.

_Some more than others, _Kakashi thought as he looked from Sakura to Naruto.

Naruto had forgiven Sasuke the moment he brought him home, claiming he'd kick the raven haired boys ass if he ever tried to leave again.

To which Sasuke had asked blandly, 'what about missions?', leading to a huge argument and Naruto yelling 'that wasn't the same thing' only to have 'you said leave, missions involve leaving', thrown back at him.

But Sakura appeared to hate the Uchiha, judging by the way she narrowed her eyes and openly moved away from him, with a look of barely contained fury.

A burn behind his eyes surprised Kakashi into looking back at his book, to gain some control.

_She's more like me than I ever wanted, _he thought dismally.

Never in a million years would he have thought his 'family' would turn out this way.

But it would heal, he knew it would.

Kakashi's eye was jerked to Naruto as he threatened Sai with castration only to get ignored again.

When he got no reply, he started running in circles and pulling at his hair, screaming 'He did so have a dick and he was just jealous'

He mushroom sighed, _Sometimes I think I should have stayed a jonin and never EVER teach._

But he knew he didn't mean it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_**I figure if we kill him when were out collecting firewood we can hide his body, **_inner Sakura rubbed her hands together and laughed manically.

Sakura sighed while she set up her tent, _it wouldn't be worth the explanation we'd have to come up with as to why he 'ran again'._

Scowling inner Sakura stomped her feet and glared heatedly, _**Do you always have to be so logical about things?!**_

_Yes because you obviously wont, now go away!, _Sakura's other personality did as told but grumbled the whole way before disappearing…somewhere.

Rolling her eyes, she pitched the last part of her tent and stretched her arms over her head, leaning backwards.

She groaned as her spine popped and cracked back into place, before shaking her arms and rolling her neck.

_It had been a long day…and they still weren't there!_

"Kakashi!', when the silver haired man looked up at her she pointer her thumb over her shoulder.

'Im going to the spring", when he nodded she smirked and began to walk towards the heated water that would soothe her aches.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The moon had already come out and the evening glow reflected making a red circle in the sky above the springs and attached waterfall.

The waterfall made a steady noise like a drum and calmed Sakura's frayed nerves like the stroke of someone's hand across her cheek.

Wasting no time, she dropped her towel and began to strip, feeling free and uninhibited in the cool air.

She drew in a deep breath of moist air and felt her seal pulse with life, usually it caused her pain, but being around the element that it used made it…eager.

Without a thought, Sakura began to hum until the words to her

song came to her mind as she stepped into the warm water.

A sigh escaped her lips as her naked body submerged in the mineral liquid.

Curling her shoulders inward, Sakura released her constant hold on the seal and let it seep out around her.

Her hair slowly lengthened and turned darker and darker till it resembled blood, her emerald eyes flashed to black and her skin became covered in black markings that resembled teardrops that ran across her body like 's hand made a fist and glittery white dust fell to mix with the water, making a lavender scent fill the air around rose and covered her body as she twirled around, flinging water in the air and making it move with her as her curse seal allowed her briefly wondered why the sky never seemed to change but was never the same….and took comfort in the stray thought

"_Neji_", she whispered, the water of the springs, hoisted to curl around her in a comforting gesture. But the rage always followed and she fought it down, knowing she would lose in the end.

The water around her reacted to her hidden anger and began to whirl and spin around her in a vortex, her face flashing in and out of view, the diamond on her forehead glinting in the moon.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Crimson eyes watched, fixated on the creature before them.

His curse seal began to react as well at the sight of her unclad and changed body.

Sakura remained unaware of the increasingly lustful presence and started to spin with the water as well, rising into the air. Sasuke's discarded clothes joined the heap of Sakura's and his skin, darkened from his own release of the seal heated at the sight of her._Mate,_ his beast growled in a feral tone, but the Uchiha kept control as he walked towards the springs. His sharingan activated so he could catch every glimpse of her pale flesh. As she finished, Sakura became aware of another presence and whirled, water poised to attack.

When she saw who stood before her, her arms lowered in shock.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke, almost fully changed, walked out on the water and made his way towards her.

Her feet seemed rooted to the spot and could only watch with wide eyes as his equally nude body stood before her.

Judging by the smirk on his face, he had seen her open appraisal of his muscular form.

Rage rose within her at the smirk and water began to churn and lap at their feet as she glared at him.

"What are you doing?", she hissed vehemently.

Sasuke's hand merely came up and touched her cheek, without realizing it her face turned into his hand.

A tightening in his hand showed that he had felt what she'd done and liked it, wanted more of it.

Sakura's eyes snapped open in shock and two whips of water grabbed her around the waist and yanked her from his hold to the other side of the spring, where she stood on a rock. Still uncaring of her unclothed state…or to _angry _to _remember _it.

_But he sure as hell wasn't unaware of it, _He thought as his eyes scanned her body and when they lit upon the long scars that marred her skin his sharingan began to swirl in his rage.

Before Sakura could move to defend herself, she was flat on her back with him looming over her.

'_Who did this to you?!", _his voice sounded like a snarl and she shuddered, but refused to look him in they eye, knowing what he would do.

Sakura kept her face turned away from Sasuke and refused to answer him, when he realized she wouldn't speak he did what he knew would get her to look at him.

He kissed her, a gentle brushing of his lips across hers, not the crush she was expecting.

Surprised, her black eyes snapped towards his and before she could realize what she had done, Sakura was shoved down into the nightmare once again…only this time, _Sasuke followed._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke stood still as he examined her memories before stepping into one that might explain things.

_Immediately his ears were assaulted with screams and the roar of a fire . The heat of it was stifling and he covered his mouth to ward out the smoke that choked the area._

_His head turned quickly as he watched a bleeding Sakura run through the flames and into the clearing where bodies littered the ground, still warm from a fight that had ended just minutes before she could reach them._

_His chest ached as he watched her run through, checking bodies and weeping at the corpses._

_His eyes caught the stab wounds that were all over her back and body, still split open and bleeding profusely._

_When she tried healing them, forcing chakra into their bodies, Sasuke felt his heart clench and he couldn't stop himself from reaching out to touch her, to tell her it was to late._

_But her body passed through his like a ghost and at the sound of her scream, Sasuke ran through another memory till he found her._

_She was leaning over the body of…Neji Hyuuga?!, he thought in incredulously ._

_This was the man that she had fallen in love with after he'd left, but Sasuke couldn't bring himself to hate the man, as she kissed him and rocked his body back in forth._

_Watching her as she spoke to him in that shaky heartbroken voice that he had only heard once before, Sasuke realized something._

_Sakura Haruno, was not the girl he had left. She wasn't weak, she wasn't soft. She didn't need to be protected._

_Far from it, She was the strongest Kunoichi who could kill at a moments notice. She protected, she saved._

_She had experienced the agony that he had, he thought, surprised at the burning behind his eyes._

_Sakura's voice punctured through his reverie, "Don't go! Please NEJI! Wake up, Please! I need you with me", her voice came out in a whisper at the last part and Sasuke felt an irrepressible _

_Wave of sorrow and fury._

_Whoever had done this he would kill!, he swore to himself._

_A chill ran up his spine as a familiar voice filled the clearing but when he tried to find Sakura again, someone stopped him._

_It was Sakura, but not Sakura. This Sakura's hair was long and pink, her red dress, singed at the ends as if she too had experienced the flames._

_But her eyes, her eyes held all of the agony and pent up emotions that the sakura he knew refused to show._

"_I-",he started but she interrupted him with a glare, even as tears fell from her eyes._

"_I think you've done enough for one day, Uchiha Sasuke, she relives this moment every night but because of your obsession with rebuilding your clan, you made her experience it in the worst possible way"._

_Her voice stayed quiet the entire time and Sasuke felt the guilt nearly swallow him…and the shame._

_But before he could say another word he was shoved from Sakura's mind with a punch of chakra._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura jerked up, gasping and looking around wildly.

Her eyes landed on the shadow sitting on a rock a few feet to her left and they fired with fury.

"YOU _BASTARD_!", she fought the tears back and tried not to feel weak, tried not to break.

"Why didn't you tell me?", came his hoarse voice.

_TELL HIM?!, _she thought incredulously, _he had to be joking!._

Rising to her feet she turned on him and her now emerald eyes were like ice.

"why do you care?", sakura nearly screamed it, "You never wanted me, even when we were younger you were always insulting me, saying I knew nothing of pain, that I was weak!".

Sakura laughed bitterly as he stood , "I bet it was a slap in the face to realize that _poor _Uchiha Sasuke wasn't the only one with a dead clan", she sneered as he came to stand in front of her.

The moonlight made them visible to each other and she glared defiantly into his eyes.

" But unlike you I didn't want revenge, I moved on with my life…until you went to _him"._

"I had no choice", Sasuke stated heatedly and Sakura glared harder at him.

"There is always a choice", she looked at him hatefully then, but he caught the emotion behind her eyes and it gave him hope.

"Tell me _Sasuke_ how does it feel knowing that everything you believed about the home you left was a _lie_", and she began to walk away .

_She had to leave before she broke to pieces, _Sakura thought desperately, _Neji isn't here to help make it easier…__**Sakura you have to be strong on your own, would Neji want you to be this way?**_, Inner sakura asked quietly.

She didn't reply as she disappeared from the man she was afraid could take her heart and…break her again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke stared at her back as she walked away, everything he had learned tonight and since he had come back showed him what a fool he had been, showed him how _wrong _he'd been.

_She has every right to hate me, _he thought numbly, watching as he disappeared through the trees and back towards camp.

When she had said there was always a choice, she had been right but he had been so afraid that they would hold him back, that they would love him.

So he ran to Orochimaru for power, and the Snake Sannin had trained him well.

" _But unlike you I didn't want revenge, I moved on with my life…until you went to __**him**__"._

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock and disbelief at what Sakura had said meant.

_It was him…he…killed them, _he thought barely stopping his legs from giving out and sending him to the ground.

Sasuke fought the urge to vomit as the enormity of what he had done came crashing down on his shoulders.

It was the unbearable ache, like the one when he had witnessed her memory, like the one he'd felt the night his family had died that also made him come to terms with what he had denied since he was young.

_I love her._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They made it to the small village later the next day, since they had maintained a slow pace the previous day the group had doubled their speed.

Mostly because Sakura kept getting ahead, not caring if she left them behind or not.

"OI! Sakura-Chan slow down!", Naruto panted, bracing his arm on the tree he'd jumped to.

Sai was even a little winded with her constant speed, but said nothing as he approached her where she stood on a tree, staring out at the village before them and not speaking.

" Sakura", hearing her actual name instead of 'hag' made her eyes connect with his in surprise.

"What happened?", he asked and put his hand on her shoulder, Sai didn't like the idea of Sakura hurting.

she had taught him about emotions and he didn't like to think of them causing her pain.

But she forced a smile, as blank as the ones he wore, and shook her head. "Im just eager for this to be over, I have duties to discuss with Hokage-Sama".

And then she jumped away from him, onto the ground waiting for the others to catch up.

It didn't take long before Kakashi and Sasuke approached, since they had decided to take a more sedate pace instead of break neck speed.

"We have to appear as civilians if we are to accurately catalog the renegades terrorizing this village", Sakura's voice was stoic, her anbu side, and they all nodded.

She made a concentrated effort not to look Sasuke's way and looked in Kakashi's eye's.

"It would seem suspicious if we all appear at the same time, I will go alone", immediately Naruto protested, "…and you can show up a bit afterwards, appear as merchants, travelers or something".

Kakashi nodded, aware that she was able to take care of herself should the situation arrive, but Naruto had been gone and only came back with Sasuke…he had not seen her strength.

"Sakura-Chan you cant go on your own! What if the rogue ninja attack you or something?!", Sai remained silent, feeling the tension coming from the pinkette.

Her hair shadowed her eyes from her brother, concealing the hurt and the emptiness, "So you think im weak…Naruto?".

Something in her voice stopped him and he stuttered nervously, "n-no…I-its just that…well Sakura-chan…", she interrupted his stumbling.

"Naruto", she didn't look at him, "You've been gone a long time…things change".

When Naruto opened his mouth to say something she held up a hand, ".." and her hand clenched into a fist before driving into a tree next to her.

Nothing happened for a moment and it was eerily silent, then a groan of wood giving out broke the quiet till the tree started to splinter before shattering into a million pieces.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke stood silently as Sakura showed Naruto just a little piece of what she was capable of.

Her going in by herself though made him sick to his stomach, they had no idea who the renegade ninja were and if they were in the bingo book…

He had to stop the thought before his seal started to burn as the beast inside it revolted at the idea of its mate being in danger.

_No, _Sasuke thought, _she would be okay, she had to be…_

Her voice pulled him to the present, "Remember our covers, even if something happens you cant come in after me…I refuse to compromise this mission. These villagers will not die because I was unable to do my duty, because I was _weak_".

Sasuke winced slightly, understanding how badly he had hurt her as she walked away from them.

….And he hated himself for it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sound of the village, children laughing, vendors selling goods and people chattering, made sakura feel calm.

Or look it anyway.

Her senses were on high alert as she scanned the area around her, cataloging all possible assailants and predicting ways to defeat them.

After all a woman who was alone was a likely target for rogue ninja who probably hadn't had a woman in a long time.

But the small village seemed fairly peaceful, they didn't seem to have anything that would draw the attention of rogue ninja's.

Sakura's eyes wondered and came to rest on a sign that stuck out in bright red letters from the more earthy toned buildings surrounding it.

_I spoke to soon…_

_Moonlight Passions, _She mused, snickering inwardly at the name, _obviously a strip joint, __**I bet they attend that place all the time -.-**_

"looks like we get to be a stripper for a night", she grumbled softly, Inner sakura rolled her eyes, _**We are so not wearing leather…**_

She walked up to the club doors and could feel the music pounding inside in the dull thudding that vibrated through the door.

"Here goes nothing", she took a deep breath and walked inside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The club was already packed and Sakura had to consciously keep her look of disgust off of her face.

Looking around, trying to look innocent, Sakura spotted the man who must have been the manager, judging by the way he puffed his chest out and dangled a cigar in his fingers.

"umm sir", she made her voice stutter a little, "Is there anyway I could make some money…I could waitress or serve at the bar…", she smiled cutely.

His shaggy red head whipped her way and the leer on his face made her smirk inwardly.

_Gotcha!_

One of his burly arms slung over her shoulders and he steered her to the back of the bar, "Now little lady I can get you some work but you wont be waitressing", he winked at her.

Sakura feigned confusion and his eyes trailed her body in open delight, She had to force her fists to remain relaxed when they would have clenched.

"I want you to dance", he stated as if he was asking her what was her favorite color, _disgusting, _she thought with an inward wince.

Sakura shuffled her feet, 'Well I don't normally dance for other people but my father is injured and I need money to pay for the medical bills", she looked up with tears shining in her eyes and she made her voice crack.

The nameless pervert put on a look of concern, "Now now little lady, you dance for us and you'll get enough cash to pay for your daddy's treatment…but you split your earnings in the back", he added imperiously.

_Thieving son of a bitch!, _She thought in outrage.

"yes sir", sakura nodded eagerly and walked to the dressing rooms that he had pointed to.

_Piece of cake, __**We are not wearing LEATHER!**_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura took a fortifying breath as she examined her body in the full length mirror, she had to admit that she did look hot in a trashy whore kind of way.

A black bra had been designed with red petals across the left breast and a small red fishnet laid under the bra.

The boy shorts were the same except they were so high in the back that any movement almost revealed her buttocks, stiletto heels in red finished the 'outfit'.

Sakura couldn't help but tug at the cloth thought it did nothing and she practiced her steps in the shoes that she was sure would kill any Kunoichi daring enough to wear them.

_Thank god for Tsunade and her penchant for high heels, _She thought humorously.

"Okay ready or not…",

Sakura waited behind the curtains until she heard the song she was supposed to dance to came on. "dirrty" began to blast over the speakers

_**Ah, dirrty (dirrty) Filthy (filthy) Nasty (Christina), you nasty (yeah) Too dirrty to clean my act up If you ain't dirrty You ain't here to party (woo!) Ladies (move) Gentlemen (move) Somebody ring the alarm A fire on the roof Ring the alarm (and I'm throwin' elbows)….**_

She walked out on the stage a sultry look on her face as she circled the pole, while looking around till she spotted the rogue ninja in the back.

She arched her back against the pole, thrusting out her chest as she swung her hips back in forth, licking her lips as the crowd cheered and whistled.

Dropping away from the pole, Sakura crawled on her knees to the center of the stage, spreading her legs apart and anchoring her hands behind her as water fell on her from the ceiling.

Shaking her head back in forth, Sakura started to get into the dancing as she ran her hands through her hair.

Her eyes spotted Sasuke walking towards the stage and she knew she had to get the information to him.

So she did the only thing she could…

Jumping off the stage, She moved towards him, aware of the hands that wanted to touch her but couldn't.

_And a little payback couldn't hurt, _she thought wickedly.

Sakura climbed into his lap even as his face remained stoic and leaned towards him.

Her breasts were in his face as she undulated back in forth on his lap while tossing her head back and forth.

His hands wound around her hips and he yanked her forward, giving her the opening to speak to him.

"far corner to the left, the ring leader is the blonde, its them for sure", she whispered quickly.

Jumping off of him she turned her back towards him and began to sway her hips back and forth in his lap, tangling her fingers in his hair as she fell back .

'They're rain ninja, tell Kakashi", when he nodded his head subtly she expected him to let go so she could finish and leave.

But he didn't let go, his arms wound around her waist, one hand snaking up to cover her stomach the other holding her thigh.

Everyone now assumed that he wasn't going to let them dance with her anytime soon, so they turned back towards the stage and whooped and hollered as more strippers came out.

Sakura could do nothing as he rolled his hips against her, pressing himself intimately against her.

Her eyes narrowed at the blatant challenge, and she whirled around glaring at him, uncaring of the other people around them.

She noticed that his eyes were narrowed as well and his fists clenched as if he was exerting a lot of control to stay seated.

_Guess this is payback for all the times he made me chase him when we were younger, _Sakura thought with a grin.

Jumping up onto the table in front of the Uchiha, Sakura grabbed the center pole and began to grind against it, her head thrown back, eyes closed.

Sakura tossed her still wet hair over her shoulder as she turned her back to Sasuke and began to shake her hips, in time with the song.

Over the noise of the club Sakura could hear his groan and the splinter of wood cracking under immense pressure from his hand.

Smirking, She dropped down and rose sensually, running her hands up her body before turning back towards him.

She nearly gasped at what she saw.

Sasuke's teeth had elongated and his sharingan was activated, his eyes heavy with lust as he fought back his beast.

_Good thing it was to dark to see them and that everyone was looking at the stage._

Sakura felt her own seal start to pulse as she made her way towards him, urged on by something she couldn't name.

Sakura came closer to him when a part of her began telling her to run, that it wasn't safe to be with this man.

Before she could heed her inners warning Sakura was yanked into his lap, her legs over the arms of the chair and her face only inches from his.

A rumbling growl came from his chest as their pelvises made contact, Sakura bit back a moan when he pushed upwards.

She felt her hair lengthen and knew without feeling it that her diamond had appeared on her forehead, but the marks and claws remained dormant.

Sasuke growled at her again and she bared her sharpened teeth , hissing in indignation.

"Let. Go. Now.", she deadpanned, fighting the heat that was winding its way through her system.

Sasuke smirked, he _knew _what affect he was having, "…No", and he thrust up against her harder.

Gasping, Sakura clutched at his shoulders and couldn't stop herself from grinding into his ministrations.

He grunted in satisfaction when she pressed down against his erection, rotating her hips.

Alarm bells in her head were screaming at her to run and she knew she had to or else he would…

She shook her head, not willing to think that far.

Through the cloud of lust fogging her brain, Sakura felt his hands loosen momentarily and leaped from his arms.

The look of pure male shock and indignation nearly made her laugh till she saw him start to rise from the chair and come after her.

Her breath caught at the look of anger in his eyes and she turned to run.

But Sasuke must have seen her movement with his Sharingan because he caught her before she even took two steps.

His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, right underneath her breasts, pulling her sharply back against him so she couldn't escape his grasp.

"Sakura", his guttural voice growled against her throat, "Stop running from me", he thrust against her backside, she gasped. "You know you want me too..".

When she started to struggle against him , fighting more with herself than with him, she felt his fangs close over her neck, demanding her submission.

Sasuke's teeth were right over sakura's curse mark and the touch was an aphrodisiac and warning of what he could do.

_He would mate her, _She knew that without a doubt and the thought sent tremors of fear through her body.

'D-don't", she whispered, hating herself for being weak.

Sakura felt his jaw clench and she closed her eyes shut against what was to come, but stumbled in shock when he released her.

She turned to look at him, her eyes wide.

His chest was rising and falling with his heavy breathing, and she could see that he was in pain trying to fight back his seal and its demands.

Sakura went to touch him, her hand laying timidly on his chest. 'Sasuke I…", his lips crushed against hers in a violent kiss as his hands snaked down her back to grab her ass and grind her against his hardness.

"You _know _what you do to me", he sounded angry with her and she was shocked and disgusted to feel the burn of tears, " You want it to, why do you fight it?!".

When sakura finally had the courage to look in his eyes, they were tormented and his lips were drawn in a harsh line, her chest clenched.

"You left me", she whispered, 'When I would have gone anywhere done anything to be with you, Instead you left me alone with no one to help pick up the broken pieces!".

Sakura hadn't even realized he had teleported them somewhere else until she felt the wind against her back.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She looked up at Sasuke, angry with him for making _her _love _him _again, furious with herself for betraying Neji that way.

Her lips trembled and she yanked herself from his arms to walk away towards the water so she could compose herself.

Sakura felt him behind her but she refused to turn, instead looking out at the water lapping at the sand of the lake, distorting the moons reflection.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way", his voice was so quiet she almost didn't hear it.

"I wanted to kill him then come home, to Naruto and Kakashi…to you", she gasped silently as she turned towards him.

His eyes raised and they reflected her own torment, "When I came back you would be waiting for me, I'd be with you….you were the only one I wanted", tears fell unnoticed down her cheeks.

"We would have helped you, we would have made you strong…you didn't have to leave", her own voice wasn't any steadier than his and she bit her lip.

His eyes flared, "_NO! _you wouldn't have helped me!", he yelled, so out of character that she stared wide eyed.

But when what he said registered her knuckles whitened as she

curled her fists tightly, "And how are you so sure of that?!", she hissed, not the least surprised when the water behind her began to rise and circle her possessively.

Fire burst around Sasuke and he glared at the liquid blocking her from him, he knew that if he tried to fight to get to her it would only end with both elements being extinguished.

"Because", he growled out, overwhelmed by emotions that he had forced to dormancy _all _coming to the surface, "I wouldn't have been able to let you get hurt", the flames surrounding him flickered and flared with the pitch of his voice.

_Apparently that was the wrong thing to say to her._

Sakura's eyes flared in outrage and the water around her spewed up, soaking her and swirling around her form, "I never needed your protection! I learned that if I fell flat on my face I would get back up and try harder!…Neji showed me how strong I could be…", she whispered the last part.

Sasuke couldn't stop the flare of angry jealously but it was gone when he saw her face, she had _loved _the Hyuuga. He couldn't begrudge Neji falling for Sakura, he knew _anyone _with eyes would be drawn to her beauty, inside and out.

'Sakura you just don't get it, do you?", his voice was heated and rough.

"Well I would if you would just explain it to me!", she screamed at him.

He was in front of her before the water could block him and his fire tangled with it but didn't touch.

Sasuke's hands grasped her face, "I wouldn't have been able to leave you!", he whispered, "I would have never fulfilled my revenge, I would have stayed with you and he probably would have come back and killed you too".

His voice shuddered as if he was fighting to keep it from breaking and he brought her closer to him till they were breathing the same air.

"_I couldn't lose you"._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well isn't this sweet?", a raspy voice rumbled maliciously.

Sakura turned in surprise to see the rogue ninja from the strip club behind her, _How had she not sensed them?!_

Apparently Sasuke felt the same, because his eyes narrowed and his body shifted subtly.

She went through his file quickly in her mind and nearly flinched,

_Siori Kursima, _

_Blonde, _

_5'10,_

_Originated from rain village, transferred to sound_

_Known for wind techniques_

_S-class criminal_

The blondes eyes caught the movement and he grinned, "Always wondered who they would send, never thought It would be an 'Uchiha', didn't they get wiped out?", his voice was almost light.

Sasuke's jaw clenched and he started to step in front of Sakura but she shot out a hand, _something wasn't right._

The rain ninja then turned to look at Sakura, "gotta say that was some show, almost had us fooled", he let his eyes roam blatantly over her figure.

A growl rumbled from deep inside Sasuke and he moved closer to sakura, slightly shielding her.

"aahh", he laughed, "I was waiting for when this would happen" before he finished a burst of light filled the clearing and Siori stood…_fully changed._

His red claws flexed experimentally and he laughed harshly at her sickened face, "What thought you were the only one who got caught by the Snake?".

His eyes were golden, his skin changed to a reddish hue and things that appeared to be talons lurched from his back. Dark black hair took the place of pale blonde and the rain ninja's teeth had grown so long that they looked like they belonged on a saber toothed tiger instead of a human.

Sasuke had had enough, with a snarl he to transformed into the third level of the seal, whipping fire around the clearing in clear warning.

"get out now", he hissed and flexed his wings, letting the jagged ends show.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura looked at the man before her and couldn't help but feel he _wasn't _what he appeared to be.

Looking at Sasuke from the corner of her eye, she made her move.

Sakura walked right up to him and touched his face before either male could react.

Sasuke's first instinct was to yank her away but the look she shot him made him grudgingly back off.

Her eyes flashed to black and she stared directly into his eyes, Siori seemed hypnotized and didn't move to pull away from her.

Sakura focused on the little telepathy she had learned and tried to find 'it'.

_A man ran through a quaking house, screaming the name of a woman "Tirana! Tirana where are you?!", it was…Siori._

_Sakura watched from a distance as the scene of his torment played out before her so much like her own that she cried._

_Siori ran out the house after searching it, frantically calling his lovers name. The earth shook and swayed under the powerful hits of Orochimaru's great snake, a sinister laugh that she recognized so well echoed in the area followed by the scream of a woman._

_Sakura ran through along side Siori until he found the man who held his woman._

_The beautiful silver haired maiden was impaled through the stomach, blood dripping out of her mouth as she coughed and struggled weakly against Orochimaru's white hands._

_An inhuman sound of grief and rage, but before he could even move Kabuto had stabbed him with a kunai, paralyzing him._

_Siori was brought before the snake sannin but was helpless to reach out to his love, "Why?" came out a choked whisper._

_Orochimaru smirked and his long tongue licked Tirana's pale face, "I wanted her…but sadly she refused", he laughed sickeningly, "Now what to do with you?", laughter and pained screams were the last thing sakura heard before she was shoved from the blondes mind._

Sakura lurched forwards gasping for air and sweating, Sasuke's hands closed over her arms and pulled her back into his chest.

His hands where white knuckled as he breathed in the scent of her hair.

Looking around anxiously, Sakura felt her heart sink when she saw Siori's unmoving body laying on the ground ten feet in front of her.

"no, no, no….", and she began to crawl towards him, checking his pulse with shaking hands and finding….nothing.

Rocking back and forth, she began to weep for the life of a man that had been destroyed so much like hers.

'Its not fair, _ITS NOT FAIR!", _water began to thrash harshly, striking the trees and ground, leaving huge amounts of holes and destruction in its path.

Sakura's hair lifted off of her shoulders to float around her head in a slow ethereal way. Skin paling and darkening with the marks of her seal, she rose to her feet as if hypnotized.

Tears trailed down her cheeks but they began to glow and shine as she walked towards the lake.

It seemed to be calling to her, beckoning her to come and be healed.

Sasuke's hand closed firmly over her arm and yanked her around.

His eyes were changed and his element seemed to be burning from within the fiery depths that drew her in and held her.

The roaring in her ears was penetrated by his voice, "Sakura! Sakura wake up, Snap out of it goddamnit!" and he shook her a little bit.

Looking around blankly, Sakura saw nothing but the water and wished that he would just let go so she could go to the water and embrace what called for her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke stared Sakura in the eyes as she was drawn into the final stages of the cursed seal. Fear pulsed through him and sweat beaded his skin, sliding down his neck.

If she went into the last stages and she couldn't control it she would die.

Pain lanced through his shoulder when she brought her hand down and hit the nerve near his neck.

Fighting unconsciousness, Sasuke watched in panic as she began to walk towards the lake that now glowed with ethereal light.

'_Sakura', _he could hear the voice coming from the water and it caused tendrils of calmness to tangle with his fear.

'_Sakura…come sakura, you are ready'._

"No" he whispered, "don't take her…_please_…don't take her".

Sakura turned around and stared at him with black eyes and when she smirked at him, Sasuke knew that there was nothing he could do to stop what was about to happen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The changed pinkette dove into the glowing water and stayed down while Sasuke struggled to get to his feet, holding his bleeding shoulder where her claws had slashed into his skin.

His own seal began to react to the waves of power being released as he made his way closer to the water that was eerily still.

His fangs grew and his claws elongated as he stepped near the shore, black wings protruding from his back in preparation of what was to come.

Suddenly the water burst apart as sakura launched into the sky with a blood curdling war whoop.

Sasuke stared in silence as he examined her in her final stages of the seal.

Her pink hair was mixed with white and flowed down to her knees, her previously black eyes were a teal blue and shone with power. Black wings jutted from her back in high feminine arches and a ripped emerald halter dress adorned her marked flesh.

His breath caught in his throat, _she was beautiful._

But the look in her eyes made him hesitate briefly before he too launched into the sky and flew at her.

Strands of water lashed out at him, cutting like whips and knocking him sideways till he countered the attack with a barrage of flames.

She didn't try to avoid the onslaught but brought up a shield of water at the last second. Sasuke could see her smirk through the moving liquid and felt something stir inside of him.

She was in control of the last stage and their battle had turned into something more primitive.

A battle to mate.

Curling his lips in anticipation and challenge, he swung out in an arch of fire and dove for her.

She feinted right and dodged to the left, tossing electrified orbs of water at him.

He moved left and right, up and down avoiding attack after attack and throwing his own back at her. They steadily drained each other of strength until they were left with mere physical combat.

With one last burst of strength they launched themselves at each other. In a downward spiral they fell, Sasuke gaining the upper hand and disabling her by catching her hands behind her back.

They fell to the ground with a bang and wrestled back and forth till Sasuke came to rest on top of Sakura's panting form.

She turned her head away, knowing he had won.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everything seemed to pause , she could hear her heart beat and the rush of air filling her lungs. Her body became numb and she vanished from her mind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Stepping out into the field of wild flowers and cherry trees sakura stood silent, in wondrous confusion.

Then they came to her.

Neji appeared through the trees and walked towards her with a leisurely gait that he possessed . Tears stung her eyes and fell in rivulets down her cheeks as he came to stand before her.

His eyes were soft, calm…understanding.

Neji's hand lifted and cupped her cheek, warm as the last time he had held her to him, when he'd been alive.

"Never would I have dreamed you would love me so long and with such fierceness", his voice rumbled deep and soothing.

"I love you , now and always", she said with conviction, unshaking and strong.

His lips curled at the corners, " And I you. But I will not have you mourn what we had".

His hand tilted her face up to look him in the eyes. "Sakura I have watched you. Your guilt has torn you apart, for our deaths and your love for Sasuke".

She bit her lip to hold back a sob and nodded. His lips touched hers lightly, moving to her cheek, then her forehead.

"it wasn't your fault, I know you love me and you tried everything in your power to save us, but we were meant to die as surely as you were meant to live. Our love must not be tainted by sorrow, remember us as we once were and don't stop living. don't stop loving, sakura.." and then he was gone in a gust of wind. With nothing but the scent of sandalwood and the feel of his fingers on her cheek to mark his presence of ever being.

'He's right you know", came a harmonious voice behind her and sakura whirled around in shock. Akiko stood, wrapped in Jiro's arms as they both smiled at her. They walked forward hand in hand.

"We're together Sakura,there's nothing more we could ask for but your happiness as well. It hurts to watch you cry for us".

Touching hands briefly Akiko started to say more but a flashing light from above stopped her.

"We have to go Sakura, promise me to live a good life and don't let that Uchiha push you around", she punched her in the shoulder.

Jiro merely hugged her ,saying nothing and meaning everything.

As they both began to rise in the air, Neji appeared with them and they all stood together. Smiling Akiko waved and blew a kiss, Jiro nodded his head and smirked. Neji watched her with love in his eyes, "We'll be watching over you" and he dropped something into her hand as they disappeared into shimmering light.

Sakura opened her hand to see a feather in her hand, _I know why the cage bird sings, _he'd said to her once.

Finally, they were both free to fly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura came back into her body with a jerk and sat up gasping for breath.

Looking around wildly, she tried to figure out where she was. Wood walls, black comforter and Uchiha fan on the door.

_Sasuke's home._

Trying to get up, desperate to find the man she loved, sakura stumbled and fell out of the bed with a crash.

Sasuke was there in a second, grabbing her and lifting her in the bed. "Are you hurt?", he asked concernedly.

With a sob she launched herself into his arms, kissing him feverishly and grasping his hand in hers.

"I love you, I love you, I love you…",she repeated as she held him close and breathed in his scent.

Without a thought his arms came around her and he crushed her to his chest, He spoke with his mouth to her hair.

"You have no idea how scared I was that I would never hear those words from you again", he whispered.

"I love you sakura".

He kissed her then, a deep gentle pressing of his lips to hers. His tongue stroked hers and they fell together in a heap. With the tenderness and slowness of lovers who had finally found peace controlled their movements.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Way up high past the clouds and through the stars, Neji, Akiko and Jiro watched with relieved eyes. "Finally", Akiko sighed, 'I thought they would never stop being so stubborn' and she leaned back with a sigh. Jiro grunted in satisfaction and kissed her. Neji looked at them from his perch on a tree branch and cocked his eyebrow, "If I recall someone wanted to go down there and beat the shit out of the Uchiha", he said sarcastically and laughed at her red face.

She sputtered for a second, 'That was before sakura beat the shit out of him first…now I have no problem with him".

Darkness came from the edge of the scrying pool and the trio looked at it with distaste and anger.

"They have so much more to face", Akiko shuddered as a picture of the snake man appeared in the crystal water. Neji knocked the bowl to the ground and clenched his fists.

Worry lines etched his face as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply to calm himself.

"They will not fail", Jiro said, in one of his rare moods of talking.

The trio turned and looked down at the earth.

Blackness surged from the west and slowly spread across the east.

Konoha and all its shinobi had a battle harsher than any seen before coming on the horizon.

And they had better be ready.


End file.
